


Somniari

by nyxxbx



Series: Bel'annar'is [7]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fade Tongue, First Kiss, Mutual Pining, Pining Solas (Dragon Age), Post-Dragon Age: Inquisition Quest - In Your Heart Shall Burn, Skyhold (Dragon Age), The Fade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:14:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24124186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nyxxbx/pseuds/nyxxbx
Summary: The Inqusition accommodates to Skyhold, each in their own way. Solas paints and Lavellan is plagued by nightmares. The Wolf chooses to help.
Relationships: Female Lavellan/Solas, Lavellan & Solas
Series: Bel'annar'is [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1733095
Kudos: 21





	Somniari

" _How would you stop them?_ "

He leaned his hips against the desk, muscles in his thighs aching from the prolonged pushing against the icy force of nature, ears still sensitive from the howling of the sorrowful wind. He let out a sigh, crossing his arms, brush enveloped within skillful yet restless fingers, a wooden bowl of crimson paint hanging dangerously in the other. His head cocked to the side in contemplation as he gazed upon the fresh coat of paint atop the mural, the colour glistening in the dim haze of the rotunda. 

Silverite eyes scoured the figure embodied within the mural, granite armour glistening under the hopeful, luminiscent gazes of the people. Gold seeped from her eyes, enveloping the scene in an ethereal haze. The swirling vines on her cheekbones shifted between cerulean and veridium as she gazed warmly at the beings before her, beings that had accepted her despite the sharpness of her ears and the emerald storm beneath her palm. Moonlight tresses moved behind her, a stray lock stained with remnants of blood. 

He had painted the symbol of hope. 

The symbol that was now the Inquisitor, a sacrifice that had turned to a miracle as she stumbled towards their camp, spirit broken, but very much alive. 

" _However I had to._ " Their first conversation has been coursing through his mind since they had arrived at Skyhold, since this fortress had turned into their new Haven. 

Even then despite being wary of others, despite being in denial that she was holy and one of the most important people in Thedas-- all over night-- she had shown him the infuriatingly familiar side of her he had not expected. She was protective of those she cared about, her gaze was fierce, always burning, and _by the Void_ , it stirred something in him he had believed existed no longer. 

The moment he stepped into the rotunda, he knew he could somehow make it his. Books, scrolls, parchment and enchantments did not make it his. This, the depiction of her brilliance in face of one of the most dangerous beings in Thedas, that was his way of making the small area his. 

And yet he could not, by everything in him, define what was missing in her appearance on the wall. It irked him, he was the one with knowledge, impossible and possible, he always knew. 

He let out another, deep sigh. He was certain Dorian could hear him from his spot in the library above, and yet he did not care. The brush was itching at his fingers, the mural before him shifting into colourful spots from the way his silver irises gazed deeply into the scene. 

Dread still clung to the edges of his stomach as he remembered the feeling of the unknown. Uncertainty, fear, helplessness. Her advisors shouting, sharp words spread across the snowy plane, though their minds did not truly believe in the harsh meaning behind the syllables. They were frightened. And when fear brings its swarm into the minds of the unwary, it would take a miracle to destroy the hive. 

She was that miracle.

"Mind shaking, heart ablaze. You're hurting, but it's a different hurt, one that you're not hiding." The boy startled him, his glistening, pristine eyes appearing next to him. 

Solas gripped the brush in his hand tighter, as he turned towards the boy. His clear eyes shifted to the floor in shame. "I frightened you. I am sorry." He spoke, voice low and wistful. 

Solas cleared his throat, lips quirking in a small smile. "Cole.. it is alright. I was simply deep in thought and did not see you enter." 

"No one saw me. They forgot." Cole's gaze shifted towards the mural on the wall, fingers outstretched as if he was going to place them on the painted scene, to taste the feeling of that world the elf had created.

"Did my emotions alert you? My apologies for worrying you, Cole. I am having issues with the artistry and I am simply pondering on what to do next." He watched the boy, brows furrowed in a curious roll, fingers tapping against the wood of the brush. 

"You're hurting. I heard it before, but now it's louder. More on the surface. You see her, on the wall, face an illusion, and you miss it." His voice accelerated, words hazed. 

Solas bit the inside of cheek, heart rattling against his chest in panic. Cole was a wonder, a wonder he cherished in this monotone world, but he could not learn of his secrets, his past. It was a hurt, burning, that was the truth, but he wanted it to burn. He deserved the pain. 

"Cole, you don't need to--"

"You miss her real face, the one without blood. The one without the scar. The guilt hurts inside you." The boy let out a gasp as he turned to face the ancient elf. "It wasn't your fault. She survived. She is _real_. _Alive_. And she longs, wants, just like you--" 

"That is _enough_ , Cole." Solas' voice turned low, tone stern, eyes shifting to steel.

His heart hammered against his throat as Cole worked his magic with his emotions; with his secrets. It was an uncomfortable, frightening sensation. His flesh was scarred from within, and he needed it to be that way. To remind himself of what was at stake here. He could not have distractions, not while he was still weak from his slumber. 

He let out another sigh, the brush slipping into the wooden bowl on the desk as he moved away from the place of his imagination. He could not continue while in a state such as this. 

"I am sorry, Cole." His eyes softened at the young spirit, throat tightening in guilt. "It was not my intention to be as harsh as I was. I appreciate the help, but I assure you, I will be fine." 

"I just wanted to help." Was the boy's simple answer. 

Solas nodded, head thrumming with the beginnings of a headache. "I am grateful for that, I truly am. Perhaps, you will be able to understand my reasons after all of this is over." His voice was calm and steady, the same facade he wore every day, his true features hidden within. 

"She calls to you, deep in the Fade, head hurting, hand burning, body broken. Help her." Cole sounded, the thrum of his words hitting Solas' back.

The scarred husk of his heart growled within him once again.

Fen'rei winced, form moving away from the source of pain, hands gripping the wooden surface of the chair beneath her. She bit her bottom lip, cheeks desperately wanting to puff out a sharp gasp. 

The healer, Adan, clicked his tongue in disapproval as he neared closer, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. 

"Now, don't be a child, Inquisitor. Or would you like to apply the poultice _and_ the gauze on your own?" He said, voice cynical as usual. 

"If it meant it would hurt less, then _yes_." She let out, fingers moving to grip the right side of her chest, applying soft, forceful brushes there to soothe the tender, lilac hues underneath. "The right side of my abdomen still hurts." 

Adan scoffed as the gauze in his fingers traced the large wound on the left side of her temple, the edge of it finishing just below her brow. He applied pressure, the warm fabric brushing away the remnants of the former poultice, done in a rush while still in the icy weather of the mountains. The gash would leave a painfully obvious scar. Another feature that would attract eyes to gaze upon her face. 

"And it will hurt for the next few moons. You'll have to stay put in the castle for a while, at least until _this_ ," he pointed towards her head, "closes up entirely." 

Fen'rei let out a sigh, eyes closing in frustration. "I don't have the time to stay here and simply wallow in my pain. We need to get started on securing the surrounding areas, Josephine has already arranged dozens of gatherings with the nobles vying for my attention, the Winter Palace--" 

Adan stopped her. "And how would Lady Montilyet feel if the Inquisitor blacked out or started bleeding from her _precious_ little head, during one of these gatherings?" His fingers moved across the wound as he placed healing herbs within the gash, hands moving to grab another clean fabric.

Fen'rei bit her lip, eyes cast downwards, tracing the stone beneath her boots. 

" _Precisely_. You won't ruin my work. And you will heal. That's an order." He scolded, the jagged ruin on her temple secured underneath the white fabric.

She rolled her golden eyes, a small smile appearing on her lips. "A healer gives _The Inquisitor_ orders? What has the world turned into?" She teased. 

"Not a healer. An alchemist. And _The Inquisitor_ can wrap her wounds on her own from now on, then." He bit back sharply, back turning towards his desk as he fiddled with the flasks there. 

"Thank you, Adan." She said, wincing as she stood up. 

"Yes, yes, your Worship, you're very welcome. Here's your potion for the pain. Tastes like piss, but either you taste the shit or will continue to feel like shit. Your choice." He scratched at the dark stubble on his chin. 

Her fingers enveloped the surprisingly cold flask, nose crinkling at the scent swirling from it. "I thought you said it tasted like piss?" She questioned sarcastically. 

"Well, you can tell me what it actually tastes like once you _actually_ drink it." He muttered, hands placing away the ingredients he used for the potion.

Fen'rei tipped the flask, stomach churning as the freezing liquid moved down her throat. She let out a groan as the sensations coursed over her tongue. It was bitter, pungent, and she wanted to gag. Her brows furrowed and she shivered, handing the empty glass back to Adan. 

" _Fenedhis_ , it tastes like both at the same time. And something else .. Don't _ever_ become a bartender." Adan gripped the glass, his dark eyes rolling. 

"Yes, you're welcome. Now, off you go, I have other matters to attend to." He shooed her and the Inquisitor let out a laugh, reveling in his carefree attitude. 

"I am truly grateful, Adan. I'll come back tommorow."

Bracing her palm over her right side, she walked towards the door, her spine tingling as she focused on maintaining the confident stride, the domineering skip in her step. She was the Inquisitor now, she couldn't show weakness, no matter how much her whole body ached and no matter how much her head felt light, floating in the dull pain. 

Her eyes strayed towards the nobles surrounding each and every corner of the grounds, their gazes expecting, wondering, wandering. It was like they awaited her next move, her next flaw, mistake, so they could whisper in hushes around the world that the Inquisitor was not as graceful and poise as she seemed. 

Fen'rei tightened her jaw, hands behind her back as she walked towards her quarters, head nodding at the breathless mutterings of _your worship_ and _Inquisitor_. She despised the attention she got while in Haven. This was revolting. Their gazes created an anxious, growling beast in her stomach and it jumped, clawed, raged at her throat and the backs of her eyes, creating frustrated crystals.

It was overwhelming.

As her feet finally embraced the stone steps leading up to her bedroom, her retreat, she let out a breath she hadn't realised she was holding, one tear slipping past the defenses she held up, heart clenching. 

She fell asleep with an ache in her form, the Anchor glowing as her lids closed. 

Her eyes opened, and for a moment darkness surrounded her, the Void slipping around her in hues and tinges of midnight. Burning, freezing fire blazed beneath her and she let out a hum, hands twitching to move away from the sensation. An icy steam moved over her cheekbones, and she flinched. Her eyes opened and she let out a gasp, the cerulean cavern surrounding her, the mere scene of the freezing glaze making her shiver. 

She stood up, legs trembling, form shaking. She had to get out. A drop of something warm descended down her cheek and her fingertips enveloped the wet material, moving backwards to see what it was. It was crimson, the steel scent coursing underneath her nostrils. She was bleeding, she realised, the blood turning into a fire that stung and raged.

Her chapped lips let out a whimper, the sound echoing through the cavern.

Her feet stumbled forward, soles of her boots slipping against the thick ice. Her Mark flared as it gripped her abdomen, the pain pulsing, spreading, dull and numbing, blazing and indignant, the ache spilling over her form. Fen'rei let out a shivering sigh, shoulders slumping as she moved forwards, golden eyes focused on the darkness before her. 

The silence surrounding her was deafening, eyes straying towards her boots, to see if she could hear her crawling footsteps, towards the drops of water dripping from the icicles above her.

_Nothing_. It twisted and turned around her form, the quiet, taunting, frightening, a frenzy. 

Her feet took a few more steps, muscles aching, and suddenly she was falling, mouth outstretched in a voiceless scream, the abyss surrounding her with pitch-black darkness, the echo of her fearful shout swirling through her mind. Her eyes closed, as she fell, hands and legs flailing, searching for stability. Her palm hit the surface of something sharp, and she could feel the slice of the flesh as it slid across her skin, the veridium glow surrounding the abyss.

As the scorching pain consumed her, she let out a gasp, eyes opening in panic. 

She was standing in the snow, the nightly surroundings of Haven spreading around her in a haze. She could not focus, but there was something about the scene that seemed abstract. Her hand clenched as she gazed up at the twinkling stars, the constellations connecting and moving, an entrancing sight to behold. 

A scream echoed behind her, a distant wave of frightening noise. 

Her form turned rigid, shoulders stiff, the lightning in her irises widening and clashing as she listened to the eerie, shrill sound. She could not move-- she wanted to _help_ , she wanted to _protect_. Another scream echoed, this time from her left, the voice deeper and rougher.

Then another, from her right. 

Her head flinched as she listened to them, the snow around her moving in a white haze as her eyes flickered from one side to another in utter panic. She gnawed at her lower lip, throat releasing small whimpers as she tried fought to move, to escape the tendrils of paralysis. 

A smaller, timid, shrill sigh echoed from before her and she narrowed her eyes to find the source. The vision in front of her cleared, her surroundings slipping into oblivion. 

The child was lying on the snow-covered ground before her. The crimson colour of its young life trickled from its throat as it clawed at its chest, small fingers barely gracing the open wound that continued shedding blood, the pristine cushion around its form overflowing with the volatile liquid. Its face paled, turned a lilac hue as it choked, tried to utter words, forced itself to speak. 

The gurgling noise replaced the screams. 

" _He-- Hera.. Heral-ld.._ " it spoke, jaw ticking and moving in an unnatural way. 

Fen'rei stood there, frozen, unable to move, to make a sound, her eyes widened in terror as she stared at the image before her. 

And then, it flew away into the nightly sky almost like sand. 

Fen'rei blinked, muscles loosening. Her eyes crinkled at the sudden light surrounding her, mind momentarily confused by the change. It felt different. It was stable, unmoving, no hazing surroundings, no swirling edges in the corner of her eyes. It existed. 

"Inquisitor." A voice stated, and she gasped, form moving behind her to find the intruder. 

Solas stood there, posture straight and calculating, broad shoulders steady, a facade of politeness and knowledge marring his features. 

"Solas.." she whispered, eyes trailing over the lambswool sweater he wore, the jawbone hanging over his neck, the leather strips enveloping his neck. 

He smiled at her, his eyes crinkling, silver embers alight with emotion as he motioned towards the Chantry behind him. 

"I thought we should talk. I assume the days have been.. _trying_. Care to indulge me?" His lips moved as he spoke, and she furrowed her brows as she focused on the words, mind a blur. 

The terrifying moment she had witnessed before her had vanished and she felt clueless as she shifted around to gaze at Haven, so oddly, eerily normal. Her shoulders were still tense with fear, throat ready to scream. A pulse of soothing magic strolled around her and she could feel herself relax.

Haven was never this quiet at this hour, with the sun protruding from beneath the snowstorm clouds. 

" _I_ \-- yes.." she stuttered, hand moving to her temple to scratch at the nonexistent gash, fingertips gracing the smooth skin. 

She followed him into the Chantry, the path blurring as they arrived to their destination. Her eyes burned with recognition as she gazed at the familiar steel bars, the dungeon as damp and cold as it was during those days she was a prisoner. 

He gazed at the scene before him in contemplation, his jaw tense. 

"I sat beside you while you slept, studying the Anchor." He said, eyes moving over the lonely, wooden chair in the center of the dungeon. 

Fen'rei furrowed her brows. He, of all people, had been watching over her from the beginning? Why? They spoke of his stance on the Dalish, and she was one of them-- despite the mutual dislike-- she was someone he should disapprove of. And the Anchor? He was an expert on the Fade, _yes_ , but the Mark was of unknown origin.

"How long can it take to look at a mark on my hand?" She questioned, her tone dry. 

He moved his silverite irises to her golden ones, a small quirk of the lips ghosting his features. "A magical mark of unknown origin, tied to a unique Breach in the Veil?" He questioned, voice a silken lullaby. "Longer than you might think." He paused, his tongue wetting his full lips.

Her eyes found it difficult to stray from the sight.

"I ran every test I could've imagined, searched the Fade, and yet found nothing." He bowed his head for a moment, eyes glancing at her palm. "Cassandra suspected duplicity. She threatened to have me executed as an apostate if I didn't produce results." His feet moved towards the exit, and almost blindly, she followed. 

She smirked at the thought of the threats Cassandra had given her, too. "Cassandra's like that with everyone." 

He chuckled, a hearty sound, one that tingled from within his being and she found herself grinning at the pleasant tone of his deep tone.

"Yes.." he trailed off, eyes momentarily shifting over her features, the silverite within burning with a light she had never seen before. 

The door to the Chantry closed behind them and Fen'rei's feet stumbled as she followed him, appreciating the form of his broad shoulders as he held onto his staff. Her eyes trailed down his arms towards his fingers, wondering--

"You were never going to wake up. How could you? A _mortal_ sent physically through the Fade?" His tone was intrigued, almost child-like, full of enthusiasm. 

His eyes narrowed as he continued, emotion swirling through the colour. "I was frustrated, frightened. The spirits I might have consulted had been scared away by the Breach. Although I wished to help, I had no faith in Cassandra, or she in me." He let out a breath. "I was ready to flee." It was a confession upon his lips.

Fen'rei almost let herself scoff. "Where did you plan to go? The Breach threatened the whole world." She revelled in the small smirk he offered at her practical question. 

"Someplace far away where I might research the Breach before its effects reached me." He said, form leaning dangerously closer to hers. 

She raised an eyebrow, watching as the crinkles next to his eyes narrowed. "I never said it was a good plan."

Fen'rei bit her lip to stop the chuckle that sounded in her throat, glancing at his wandering orbs as they slid towards the motion, lips pursed. He moved backwards, breaking the tempting trance, dancing around her as his hands moved. She felt light as she watched him. 

"I told myself.. one more attempt to seal the rifts." His gaze shifted towards the broken sky, the closed Breach looming over the lightning and the storm. "I tried and failed. No ordinary magic would affect them. I watched the rifts expand and grow, resigned myself to flee and _then_ \--"

His broad form shifted backwards towards her, feet moving in a steady line almost as if he was being pulled in by an invisible forcefield. He smiled at her, a carefree glow in his granite irises.

"It seems you hold the key to our salvation. You had sealed with a gesture, and right there.. I felt the whole world change." 

Fen'rei almost flinched at the word, her eyes widening, lips opening to mutter something. She felt the blood rush through her veins, felt her heart thumping against her abdomen and she wondered for a moment why the raging beast did not hurt as it pounded. _Felt_?

"Felt the whole world change?" She edged closer, entire being alight with electricity that granted confidence she usually wouldn't have. 

"A figure of speech." He smiled, words teasing, eyes warm, lips tempting. 

Her eyes slid over the sharp edge of his jawline towards the smiling embers as he gazed at her with intensity that made her hands tremble. She slipped her fingers behind her back, pulling at them to stop the shake. 

"I'm aware of the metaphor. I'm more interested in _felt_." She let her voice soften, hoping he couldn't note the delightful desperation in her syllables. 

He stared, entranced, irises flickering over her _vallaslin_ , and she noticed his fingers twitch, his breath hitch as they edged closer, the tense energy around them palpable, but whether it was from the Breach, the Anchor or his restrained tendrils of magic, they had no way of knowing.

"You change _everything_." His voice was hoarse, soft, almost breathless, the words leaving his throat in a whisper, a sinuous secret. 

She could feel her own breath leave her as she accepted the confession, her lips lighting up in a smile. Her cheeks burned against the warm air of Haven, the snow that fell against their forms granting no relief. 

"Sweet talker.." she muttered, more to herself than to him and lowered her gaze to the ground, suddenly overwhelmed.

She could feel the urge in her throat, the want, the itch, Creators, she had to kiss him, to taste him, if even for a moment. She had to have that small moment of desire relinquished, tension destroyed. 

Burning with confidence, she gripped the sharp edge of his jaw, fingers revelling in the smooth, porcelain skin. She turned his head towards her own, the backs of her feet raising as she leaned forward and captured his lips with her own. She lingered there for a moment, feeling him gasp against her skin, hands twitching at his side, and she couldn't help but let out a breath too, her body tingling with adrenaline. 

He was electrifying, the scent of him reminding her of the rush of the Fade, crackle of magic as it burst from beneath his fingertips, icy smell of snow as it tore through an enemy. She could feel his entire being with that small connection, fingers teasing across the flesh under his jaw.

The rush lasted for a moment longer before she could feel the dreaded pull of shame on her shoulders and she pulled back, golden eyes alight as if caught in a trap.

Solas gazed at her features, his entire being longing, craving, blazing, moving and he could feel every particle of him wage war on the threads of his resistance. His eyes burned their way across the beauty of her face, starting from the scar she had gotten on that dreaded night, to the halls of Arlathan in her eyes, narrowed nose and lush lips that he could still taste on his own, bottom flesh parted and so incredibly tempting. 

_Fenedhis_. _He couldn't_. 

One hand enveloped her waist and the other slipped into the low bun of her moonlight locks, and his lips were upon hers once more, tasting, craving, his motion desperate, molding her flesh to his own as he kissed her urgently. He stroked with a precise, sharp movement against her bottom lip, a sound rising in his throat as he felt her surrender to his grasp, hums escaping her in a bliss. Her arms found his neck, embracing him and destroying the last boundary of space between them. The willingness of the passion she hid behind that entrancing face awakened something in him, an urge he didn't know he was capable of experiencing in such an intense sensation. 

His hands moved across her waist, mapping, observing, studying the curves so it could stay a burning memory within the storm of his mind. Her hips moved sinfully as his thigh slipped between them, a carnal emotion tearing through him as she gave in completely, lips scorching his as she kissed him, her hands tracing his features with gentle, almost feathery strokes. An embrace to leave him wanting more. 

Her lips trembled in a breathy moan, making a whimper sound in his throat as he let his tongue dance upon that plump, tempting, bottom lip, the sweetness of her overwhelming his senses. She let out a sound, shivering, grasping at his scalp, form so lithe and there, there beneath him, in his arms. His stomach tightened as he continued to kiss her, unable to get enough. 

They slipped apart if only for a moment, and her eyes were closed, lips bruised and plump, and the wolf within him raged as he craved more, again, again, _now_. 

He brought their lips back together, the feel of her entrancing, addicting, and she complied fully. Her short breaths and pants fuelled the beast within him and he realised he had to stop before he lost himself completely to her existence. 

The fingers that were gripping her waist slid away, his form pushing back as he raised his hands in a defensive manner, the game of evasion beginning anew. 

"We shouldn't." His voice was hoarse, rough, as he spoke. "It isn't right. Not even here." 

Her brows furrowed, cheeks flush and eyes still blinking in a daze as she glanced at him. She was a mural of radiance, the glisten in the pools of gold making his throat clench. Her scent lingered around him, his fingers, lips, neck, earthy and reminiscent of deep, lush forests, iron bark, rain and thunder.

_By everything holy and unholy, this was a form of torture._

"What do you mean 'even here'?" She questioned, eyes clearing as she looked around in recognition and confusion, the crinkle between her brows growing closer.

"Where did you think we were?" He questioned, a grin slipping past his lips as he watched her study her surroundings, as if his touch allowed her to see more, to feel more. 

Perhaps it had.

"This isn't real.." Her lips whispered, eyes widening as she gazed up at the lingering Breach-- Breach she had succeeded in closing-- Haven so bright and radiant with the snow falling, no, the avalanche, the beast of nature had devoured it and her almost with it.

He noticed the slight tremble of her lips as she realised where they were, and his hands itched to embrace her, to soothe her.

She was irresistible. 

His arms slid around her waist almost too easily, his palms enveloping her. A small gasp sounded from those lips and it took every remnant of strength within him to not lean down and capture her. He leaned down to her ear, breath tracing her jawline as he whispered.

"That's a matter of debate. Probably best discussed after you.. _wake up._ "

**Author's Note:**

> All Elvhen belongs to Fenxshiral's Project Elvhen!
> 
> Somniari - dreamer  
> fenedhis - shit or fuck, literally translates to wolf's dick


End file.
